Best resources to find a room for rent

[astvilla]

So far I'm only turning up places4students.com and craigslist, nothing else. The choices seem pretty sparse. Are there other ways of finding a place to rent that I've overlooked?

I'm also curious as to why landlords might do 3 month lease or month to month? I'm used to seeing leases for 1 year which seemed normal to me. My biggest fear is that the landlord prefers month to month or 3 month because they want to hook you in for cheap and then jack the rent. Because there aren't so many places for rent, it sort of forces you to pay the higher rent. What reason would a landlord have for this type of arrangement if he/she is renting out to students who are not purchasing a home in the near future? I'm hoping some landlords could chime in and provide some perspective.

[lizzzi]

I rent a room with shared kitchen and bath from a friend who has a big house in another state. I am only there three or four days a month, so the rent is minimal, but it helps both of us. I'm thinking that just asking around to people you know might be one option for finding someone who has the space and would like to make some extra money. I agree that checking the newspapers, CL, or list serves doesn't seem to turn up many options. If I want to change rooms at some point, the pickings look slim.

[CashFlowDiaries]

I am a landlord and the only reason why I would ever create a month to month or 3 month lease is because Im not confident in the person im renting to.  Meaning if it doesnt work out good then me as the landlord can have you move out at the end of the month or short term lease.  Make sense?  Its kind of like a trial period the landlord is giving you.  If they decide you are a good room renter then they will probably then offer a year lease.

[TexasAnnie]

Could the 3 months for the summer semester - are you in a college town?

Otherwise the idea of "testing" renter quality makes sense.

[zephyr911]

I'm a landlord and I like m2m because if they're not happy, why would I want them to stay? Most of my leases are m2m.
As long as it's priced right and they didn't trash it, I can handle turnover, and I don't generally find that longer leases prevent it anyway. Most tenants don't have enough assets to be worth going after if they default. Just let 'em go.
As far as finding a room, here's a thought: check out AirBnB and see if there's anyone within 20-30% of what you're willing to pay. Send them a booking inquiry and ask if there is potential for longterm leasing at a lower rate.

CraigsList traffic in my area has slowed down lately, and quality is down. They don't show up and they suck when they do. A few weeks into the latest vacancy in my 4BR house, I made a deal with my buddy who lives in the loft that we'd furnish one room and AirBnB it as a trial - which has worked out great so far. We might furnish a 2nd and even a 3rd eventually.

But here's why this might be relevant: I'm not there for higher rent. I'm there for serious, verified prospects with at least some vetting already done for me. I would *gladly* try someone out on an AirBnB booking and then let them stay on afterward at the normal non-vacation price, as long as they don't need the laundry service and mint on the pillow. And this is something you can discuss in advance with the property owner before spending a dollar.

YMMV, but I woudn't be surprised if others out there are just looking for good prospects, and would come off the vacation price quite a bit to have a stable tenant in a long-term lease.